


I Need You Bad (As My Heartbeat)

by enthusiasm_is_overrated



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, And Blaise is too, And it's not cancer, Canon diverges immediately, Chronic Fatigue, Chronic Pain, Chronic nausea, Everyone smokes weed now, Fluff, Harry is also Black, Harry is sick, Harry smokes weed, He's not going to die though, Hermione is Black, M/M, Okay but weed is going to help with a lot of Harry's NF problems just wait, Recreational Drug Use, There will be lots of medical speech in here but I'll explain the best I can, This is personal to me so I'm taking liberties, We're not going to use coffee flavors to describe Black people, Yeah it's definitely going to be angsty, it might get angsty, probable smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2020-05-13 04:01:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19243435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enthusiasm_is_overrated/pseuds/enthusiasm_is_overrated
Summary: The day before Harry's name comes out of the Goblet of Fire, he notices how difficult it's become to hold a quill.





	1. Presentation

**Author's Note:**

> Everything I write about what Harry is sick with and his treatment options and stuff is from personal experience and research.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The idea for this story came to me because of what I'm going through with my medical stuff right now. I've been through a lot because of NF2, and I will continue to go through a lot because of it. I'm not complaining, but it does get depressing and bleak sometimes. I've been wanting to read something about what I'm feeling and what I'm going through, but I have a feeling no one has ever written fanfiction with a neurological tumor disease as a focal point, so I'm going to write it myself. Most of this is based on personal experience, but I've changed a couple of things to fit with the story I have in my head.

When Harry woke up on October 30, the day before the Goblet of Fire would pick the students who would compete in the Triwizard Tournament, he didn’t feel any different, but he knew something was going to happen that day that would change everything. He just had a feeling of foreboding that wasn’t all encompassing, but it definitely had him feeling a little more awake by the time he finished getting ready for the day.  _It’s probably nothing_ , Harry thought as he descended the stairs to the Gryffindor common room.  

 

Despite everything Harry had been through by the time he got to Hogwarts for his fourth year, he was still able to keep a mostly positive and optimistic outlook on his life. His eyes had been opened to the various manipulations on his life when he finally got to have a conversation with Sirius, but he decided he wouldn’t throw a tantrum and instead quietly adjusted his perspective and loyalties. He would no longer listen to and follow Dumbledore so blindly, and he would think for himself more. Harry was a little upset that he let himself be led by Dumbledore so blindly, but he knew it wasn’t really his fault. The goblins at Gringotts had explained everything to him about the compulsions and potions that made him more open to being manipulated by anyone that showed him kindness. That’s why he was so quick to listen to Hagrid on his first trip to Diagon Alley; it’s why he let Ron Weasley claim his friendship even though he knew he would normally have ignored children like Ron. There were so many other things that he wished he had done differently, but Harry knew there was nothing he could do about the past. The only thing he could do was what he was doing, change the way he moves but continue to move forward.  

 

“Good morning, Harry,” Hermione called as Harry got to the bottom of the stairs. Hermione was one of the few people he knew was genuinely his friend. The way she was treated when she was first sorted into Gryffindor showed him that she knows what it’s like to be shunned and condemned for something that’s just part of who she is. The thing that drew Harry to Hermione was that even after she was bullied and isolated because of how smart she was, she never changed anything about herself. She stayed true to herself, and Harry knew she would be true to whoever she became friends with.  

 

Harry smiled. “Good morning, Hermione,” he said. “Learn anything new since last night?”  

 

“Did you know that dead bodies excrete this waxy, black substance called bitumen? And said bitumen is used in making asphalt?” Hermione asked as they stepped out of the portrait hole and began their walk towards the Great Hall.  

 

“I can’t say that I knew that,” Harry laughed. Asking Hermione if she’d learned anything new was something that only Harry did, and it was his way of showing that he loved everything about her. He knew she would always be smarter than him, and that was one of the things he loved about her. Whenever she told him about something she’d learned, he learned something new as well, and there was nothing Harry loved more than learning new things.  

 

“Yeah, we’re basically walking on dead people’s remains all the time because asphalt is everywhere,” Hermione said casually. Harry didn’t know if he should be disturbed or if he should laugh, so he just didn’t say or do anything. The rest of their walk to the Great Hall was spent in companionable silence.  

 

* * *

 

“So are you excited for the start of the Triwizard Tournament?” Hermione asked as she began filling her plate.  

 

“Yeah, I’m excited to be a spectator for once. I know everyone else is disappointed about Quidditch ending, but I’m ready for a relaxing year,” Harry said as he buttered his toast. Hermione nodded in understanding. She’d been there for Harry every year for every incident, and she knew the toll it always took on him mentally. There had been many days where she’d had to talk him into getting out of bed because he didn’t feel like doing anything that day. She could tell Harry was tired, and she was right there with him. He definitely deserved a break after everything he’d been through.  

 

“What are you going to do with all the free time you’ll probably have?” Hermione asked as she bit into a blueberry scone.  

 

“I’ll probably get very intimate with the library. I want to improve my academics and learn more about my family tree,” Harry answered truthfully. He’s been spending a lot of time in the library already so he could catch up on the summer reading he wasn’t able to do on Privet Drive. He’d been able to sneak and finish all of the assignments, but he wasn’t able to devote as much of his attention to absorbing the information as he would have liked. Without Quidditch practice and after dropping Divination, Harry had a lot more free time to study and get his marks up to where they should have been in the first place. “There’s really no excuse for me to fail any of my classes with all the reading I’m doing both for fun and for studying,” Harry said jokingly.  

 

“I don’t know, Harry. Even when you’re not involved in anything, trouble still has a way of finding you. Something might pop up that takes you away from the library,” Hermione said jokingly. Harry laughed along, but something about what Hermione said paired with his bad feeling earlier made Harry shiver. He felt like whatever was going to happen was getting closer.  

 

Harry reminded himself that he would only stress when there was something to stress about. Nothing had happened yet, so he wouldn’t worry. “Well as long as I can check the books out the library, that something can take me wherever it takes me,” Harry laughed and bit into his toast. Hermione chuckled along. She knew how serious Harry was. Harry always just went with whatever happened to him and never complained about it. She was sure that he’d have his nose in a book no matter what happened to or around him.  

 

Harry and Hermione finished their breakfast and then separated to go to their respective first classes of the day. They met up in the library for lunch and knocked out some last-minute homework, and said goodbye until dinner. Their days were pretty regular considering what was supposed to be happening tomorrow.  

 

Except Harry noticed something weird during his classes. His handwriting was getting worse. He knew it had never been beautiful or anything, but it was usually looking a little neater than it was that day. He couldn’t really figure out what the problem was until he thought about how difficult it had been getting to hold a quill. Of course, there was difficulty in his first year because he had never held a quill before, but he learned quickly and he hadn’t really had problems after the first couple of months. Today though, he was having to hold his quill tighter, he dropped it more, and his hand cramped up more quickly. Harry was confused because he was fine the day before, but he resolved to go to the hospital wing after dinner and he wouldn’t think anything else of it until he knew more.  

 

Hermione noticed Harry seemed preoccupied when he sat down for dinner and let him brood for a while before she asked about it. She knew Harry probably didn’t even know he was brooding, but he was. He barely answered Neville when he asked about his summer, and he was barely looking up from his plate. “Okay, what’s wrong Harry?” Hermione sighed.  

 

“Hmm?” Harry hummed as he looked up. He knew he was being more quiet than usual, but he was worrying about his hand.  

 

“What’s got you so preoccupied? You’ve barely said anything since you sat down. Is everything okay?” she asked. She knew Harry got quiet sometimes and nothing would be wrong, but she had a feeling this wasn’t one of those times.  

 

“I’m going to see Madam Pomfrey after dinner.” Harry said.  

 

“What? Why?” Hermione asked, worried.  

 

“There’s something wrong with my hand. My handwriting is worse than it was in my first year and it’s harder to hold a quill. Even if it’s nothing, I need to know it’s nothing so I don’t start stressing over it,” Harry explained.  

 

Hermione was quiet. If Harry was going to the hospital wing, he was more worried than he was letting on. She didn’t think telling him it was nothing would help so she knew she’d have to go with him. If this wasn’t nothing, he’d need someone there when he found out what it was.  

 

“I’ll go with you.” Hermione said. “You’ve obviously thought about this a lot, and I know if you’re going to Madam Pomfrey about it, you’re worried. Whether it’s nothing or something, I want to be there for you.” Harry wasn’t even going to argue. He wouldn’t admit it aloud, but he was happy Hermione was going with him. He had a feeling this was the reason for his bad feeling earlier that morning. “Thanks Hermione,” Harry said. Hermione smiled. “Of course,” she said. “We’ll go when we’re both done eating,” she said.  

 

“Go where?” Neville asked as he leaned closer to Harry from where he was sitting beside him. After Harry didn’t answer him when he asked about his summer, he just figured Harry was preoccupied with something and wasn’t in the mood to talk. He heard the tail-end of the conversation between Hermione and Harry and was curious about what they were doing after dinner.  

 

“Oh just to the hospital wing,” Harry said.  

 

“Cool. Can I come with you?” Neville asked.  

 

Harry was surprised. “You don’t want to know why we’re going to the hospital wing?” he asked.  

 

Neville shrugged. “I’ll find out when we get there won’t I?”  

 

Hermione could only laugh. There was just something about friendships between boys that she could only marvel at. Without even saying anything, Neville was giving Harry his full support n whatever happened.  

 

“I guess you will. Are you done eating? I’m ready to go now if you guys are,” Harry said as he got up.  

 

 _I guess he’s ready to get this over with_ , Hermione thought as she wiped her hands with her napkin and rose from her spot on the bench. Neville fell into step beside Harry and Hermione as they all made their way out of the Great Hall and toward the hospital wing. They didn’t say anything on their way there, but Neville could feel how tense Harry got as they got closer to the medi witch and her office. They made it to the double doors leading to the hospital wing, and Harry took a deep breath before pushing them open.  

 

The hospital wing was completely empty except for Madam Pomfrey sitting at her desk. She looked up when she heard the doors open and immediately stood up when she saw Harry Potter and his friends walk in. “It’s not even Halloween yet, Mr. Potter,” Madam Pomfrey said as she walked towards Harry. He looked down sheepishly. “I know, but I didn’t want this to wait,” he said.  

 

“Well tell me what’s wrong and we’ll see what we can do to fix it,” the medi witch said as she motioned Harry towards a bed.  

 

Neville listened as Harry explained the symptoms he was experiencing in his hand and didn’t understand why Harry was so worried. It sounded like simple stiffness to him.  

 

“Hmm...it sounds like simple stiffness to me, Mr. Potter, but I’ll do a few scans just to be sure,” Madam Pomfrey said. “Did you just start having these symptoms today?” she asked as she flicked her wand.  

 

“Yes but it’s gotten worse throughout the day, and I was completely fine yesterday,” Harry said as he watched the role of parchment unfurl in front of Madam Pomfrey.  

 

“Mmhmmm...” she hummed as she read over the parchment. It was a list of all of Harry’s past injuries, and nothing had changed since the last time she’d used the spell on him. She’d doubted it was an injury in the first place, but she wanted to eliminate her first thoughts first. “And have you noticed any other symptoms besides hand weakness? Any weakness in your legs? Trouble balancing?” Pomfrey asked as she waved her wand again. This time she was doing a spell to detect any unknown diseases. She’d never done this spell on Harry before because she’s never felt a need to, but if Harry was experiencing all new symptoms, maybe it was time to use a new spell.  

 

“My legs have been feeling a little weaker, but I didn’t think that was related to my hand,” Harry said worriedly. His legs had been feeling weak since he got out of bed this morning, but he just put it down to being tired and kept it moving. Pomfrey nodded as she looked over the new parchment. She was surprised that there was any parchment at all, so she knew whatever it said probably held the answer to Harry’s questions.  

 

 _Unknown diseases within the patient:_  

 _~PTSD_  

 _~Type 2 Neurofibromatosis_  

 _~Anemia_  

 _~Malnutrition_  

 

Madam Pomfrey had a lot of experience with wizards and witches being anemic and having PTSD. They were both disorders that were widely known about and treated in the wizarding world. It was the same with the malnutrition. Madam Pomfrey wasn't sure what Harry was going through with his muggle relatives, but she knew it couldn't be anything good if he was malnourished. A lot of the wizards and witches who weren’t in the medical industry didn’t know how many diseases wizards shared with muggles. Muggle blood was important to the continuance of the wizarding world, but with muggle blood came muggle diseases. This neurofibromatosis was definitely one of those diseases. She’d learned about it during her apprenticeship at St. Mungos, but she knew from her time there that the wizarding world wasn’t equipped to handle this type of disease. She wasn’t sure how Harry would handle this news, but he needed to know. One thing Madam Pomfrey did know for certain, though, was that Harry Potter's life was about to change forever. 

 


	2. Diagnosis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry gets his diagnosis.

Draco Malfoy watched as a slightly altered Golden Trio solemnly walked out of the Great Hall. He could tell something was going on with them, but there was no telling what was happening with Potter now. With everything his rival has been since their first year at Hogwarts, anything was possible at this point. There was something different about this time though. The weasel wasn’t with them and they left like they were walking toward someone’s execution. Whatever it was this time, it was serious.  

 

“What do you think is happening with those three?” Blaise Zabini asked, nodding towards the backs of Potter, Longbottom, and Granger.  

 

“With Potter in the middle of it? Who knows?” Draco laughed as he tore his eyes away from the retreating group. Blaise laughed and nodded. He listened to Draco go on and on about Potter and his various exploits every night, so he knew all about how Draco felt about Potter’s yearly incidents. If Blaise didn’t know any better, he’d think Draco had a crush on their resident savior with the way he always talked about him.  

 

“Let me guess, you want to follow them to see what Potter’s getting himself into this year.” Blaise said as he got ready to leave with his best friend.  

 

“Don’t say that like this is something I always do Zabini. Now let’s go before we lose them.”  

 

Rolling his eyes, Blaise rose from his seat and followed after Draco’s quickly retreating form. He wasn’t surprised Draco wanted to follow them, and he was pretty curious about where they were going himself. The way Potter and his friends had exited the Great Hall and the absence of Weasley made Blaise think that this was something much more serious than a wayward godfather or petrified friends.  

 

* * *

 

The longer Harry had to wait for Madam Pomfrey to say something, the more certain he became that whatever she told him next would not be good. She hadn’t done more than hum since she started looking at this last piece of parchment. The longer it took her to say something, the more worried Harry became, and he was anxious to hear whatever the medi witch had to say about what was going on with him.  

 

Madam Pomfrey took a deep breath and looked Harry in his eyes. “I know what’s wrong with you, Harry, but it’s not good news and I won’t be able to fix it for you.” she began.  

 

Harry nodded and prepared to hear the rest of what Pomfrey had to say. He knew it wasn’t going to be anything good, and the only thing left to do was listen.  

 

“The spell I just did was to reveal any diseases a wizard has that he or she doesn’t know about. Four showed up for you: PTSD, anemia, malnutrition, and Type 2 Neurofibromatosis. The first three are easily treatable with potions and a mind healer, but the last one requires a little more attention and discussion. One thing that isn’t widely known in wizarding society is that muggle blood comes with genetically muggle diseases, and there are some of them that can only be cured or treated by muggle means. Type 2 Neurofibromatosis is one of those muggle diseases, it’s very rare among wizards, and it’s incurable; it can only be treated and monitored. It’s a neurological disorder that causes tumors to grow in the brain and spine. These tumors are usually benign, but that doesn’t mean they’re harmless. Because they’re in your brain and spine, they can press on and damage nerves which can then cause pain, tingling, numbness, paralysis, and even death. Are you with me so far?” Pomfrey paused to gather her thoughts and check on Harry. This would be a lot for anyone to hear, so she could only imagine how Harry felt being told this was happening to him.  

 

Harry nodded wordlessly. He was taking in everything he was being told, but he wasn’t going to react until he heard everything Madam Pomfrey had to say. He felt Neville settle his hand on his left shoulder as Hermione held tightly onto his right bicep. Harry took in the support of his friends and quietly asked for Pomfrey to continue.  

 

“The weakness in your hand suggests that there is a tumor somewhere in your brain or spine that’s starting to get too big and cause problems. You’re just now noticing the weakness in your hand and legs, but it’s probably been happening for a while. These tumors can grow very slowly or very quickly, so the best thing for you to do is go to a muggle cancer center, tell them what you have, and have them use one of their machines to scan you and go from there. This is a very rare disease among wizards, so there aren’t many resources for this that I will be able to point you to. I’m sorry this is happening to you, Harry, but please know that I will be with you every step of the way.” Madam Pomfrey finished earnestly as she looked deeply into Harry’s eyes.  

 

Harry could tell Madam Pomfrey was serious about supporting him, but he knew he probably wouldn’t go to her for anything besides pain potions after this meeting. At least, when it came to this new disease, he wouldn’t be coming to her. She’d just told him that there was nothing else she could tell him because it’s so rare, and she’s never held an interest in him before. Now he’s sick and she suddenly wants to offer her undying support? He’ll pass.  

 

“Thank you, Madam Pomfrey, but I think I’m ready to go if there’s nothing else you want to tell me.” Harry said with a half-hearted smile.  

 

“I’ll be able to help with your surface symptoms like fatigue or pain, but I’m afraid there’s nothing else I can do or tell you. Go to a muggle doctor as soon as you can.” she answered.  

 

“Great! I think I’ll go now if that’s alright with you.” Harry hopped off the bed and immediately started walking towards the doors of the hospital wing. He was ready to be by himself to absorb what he’d just learned. He didn’t know if he should head towards Gryffindor Tower or the library to see what he could find about this Neuro-something. The only thing he knew about tumors was that people with cancer had them, but it didn’t sound like cancer that Madam Pomfrey was talking about. And didn’t benign mean harmless? How can something that’s harmless still cause harm? There were so many questions that had just been left unanswered for him but at least he had a diagnosis. That was more than he had this morning, so he wouldn’t do too much complaining just yet.  

 

Harry could hear Neville and Hermione catching up behind him and didn’t even pause before pulling the doors open and running straight into Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini 

 

“You were so overcome with suspicion and curiosity that you just had to come spy on me and see what I was up to, huh?” Harry wasn’t even surprised to see Malfoy and Zabini. It was basically in their job descriptions as schoolboy rivals to follow each other and get suspicious for no reason. And he saw the way Malfoy would look at him sometimes when they argued. It was like he could tell when he’d really struck a nerve and he’d always back off a little and find a way to walk off in a huff. Harry didn’t mind it though, and sometimes he was even grateful. He’d never wanted to fight with Draco in the first place, but whenever Draco started with him in the past, Harry would feel like he needed to say something so he wouldn’t look like a wimp. Now he knew he was acting that way because of the spells and potions he was under, so he was excited to not have to brace himself for an insult every time he was platinum blond hair.  

 

“You know me so well, Potter. You might as well tell me what’s going on so I don’t have to keep following you around.” Draco returned sarcastically. He’d stopped trying to seriously get under Potter’s skin as soon as the new term started. He’d noticed a different look in Harry’s eyes when they argued, so he always made sure to ease up a little bit when he saw that look. Now that he and Potter were cordial, Draco was very curious about what he’d just heard in the hospital wing. It sounded very serious, and he was actually worried.  

 

“You probably heard everything through the door, so you know about as much as I do at this point,” Harry said with a shrug. “But if you’re going to follow me anyway, I’m going to the Room of Requirement to think. Hermione and Neville are going to sit with me and not say anything until I’m ready to talk. Is that something you’re interested in taking part in?” Nothing like a medical crisis to make new friends, right?  

 

“I’d be very interested in that actually. Wouldn’t you, Blaise? Lead on, Potter.” Draco said. He knew an olive branch when he saw one, and he’s always wanted to know what it would be like to be Potter’s friend. Why not now? 

 

“Harry.”  

 

“Draco, then.”  

 

With that, Harry, Hermione, Neville, Draco, and Blaise all started making their way to the seventh floor and the Room of Requirement.  


	3. Acceptance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry starts accepting his diagnosis and smokes his friends out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been super busy moving out of my parents' house and going through my own NF2 stuff, so sorry if you've been waiting a long time for this update. This story is my baby, though, so I'm never going to abandon it don't worry lol

When the group walked into the space the Room of Requirement became for them, Harry made a beeline for the large maroon couch in front of a roaring fireplace. As he walked across the room, he kicked off his shoes and loosened his tie. He removed a small box from his pocket and wandlessly enlarged it to the size of a lunchbox as he reached the couch and sat down. Hermione, Draco, Neville, and Blaise were left standing at the door watching Harry as he took the lid off the box and removed a jar of what looked like herbs and some parchment-like material.

“Is now really the time, Harry?” Hermione asked as she went to join Harry on the couch.

“Now is the perfect time, Hermione,” Harry replied as he took a piece of the paper, sprinkled a thick line of the herbs into it, and rolled the paper until the herbs were secure inside.

“What are you doing…Harry?” Draco asked, hesitating for a moment on Harry’s name.

“I’m rolling a joint, Draco. I’m going to smoke it while I think. Is that alright with you?” Harry asked as he licked the edge of the paper and smoothed it down.

“What’s in it? Why are you smoking it?” Draco asked as he went to join Harry on the couch.

“It’s called marijuana or weed. I grow it myself in one of the unused greenhouses. Would you like to smoke with me? I promise it’s completely safe, and you’ll understand why I smoke it better than if I explained it to you,” Harry said as he finished sealing the joint. Harry really didn’t feel like doing much talking right now, and it would be much easier to just let Draco experience the effects than to talk to him about them. “As a matter of fact, why don’t you all smoke with me?” Harry said as he took a matchbook out of his box and lit the joint.

Draco and Blaise looked at each other and shrugged as the pungent smell of the burning joint began to permeate the air. “What could it hurt?” Blaise asked as he walked over and splayed out on the cushy shag rug in front of the couch. “I’ve heard of the upper year Slytherins smoking it, but I haven’t tried it myself yet. Don’t tell me they’re getting their weed from you, Potter,” Blaise said with an eyebrow raise.

Harry brought the joint to his lips and took a deep inhale. He let his head drop back and closed his eyes as he let the smoke escape from his slightly parted lips. Harry slowly raised his head and opened his eyes to look at Blaise. “I would never sell drugs to schoolchildren,” Harry said blandly. “Of course not,” Neville said as he sprawled on the rug next to Blaise. “But yeah I’ll try it too.”

Harry looked at Hermione to see if she wanted to smoke too, but she was already taking the joint from his hand and bringing it to her own mouth. He wasn’t surprised. Harry and Hermione smoked together all the time, and she almost never turned down an opportunity to spark up. “I guess we’ve got Hermione’s answer,” Harry laughed. Everyone laughed along, and Hermione took another puff from the joint before passing it to Neville.

“Just put it to your lips and breathe in.” Hermione directed.

Neville put the joint to his mouth and inhaled. He tried to emulate what Harry did when he exhaled slowly, but his breath hitched halfway through and he started coughing. Blaise leaned over and took the joint from Neville’s hand as Neville finished his coughing fit. When Blaise inhaled, he didn’t take as deep a breath as Neville did, so he was able to blow out all the smoke without coughing. “Whoa,” Blaise said as he started to feel the effects. “This is great,” he sighed and closed his eyes.

“Okay, my turn,” Draco said. Even Neville looked like he was feeling something, and he had started coughing halfway through his turn. Draco took the joint from Blaise, brought it to his lips, and inhaled deeply. He closed his eyes as he started to feel what everyone else was feeling. When he blew the smoke out, it went smoothly, and Draco inwardly cheered that he didn’t make a fool of himself in front of Harry. He understood why Harry smoked weed now, and he wondered how long Harry had been doing it. Who had introduced him to it? Did Harry do this every day? Draco hoped one day he’d be able to join Harry and have it be just the two of them. Now that Harry was letting him be a part of this particularly life-changing event, Draco wanted to get to know him outside of what he’d learned through their stupid arguments and petty eavesdropping.

The group passed the joint around for a while like this, and Harry watched as the group got progressively higher and higher. He could tell immediately that Neville would be a sleepy stoner because by the time the joint was gone, he was snoring in his spot on the rug. Hermione just got horny, but Harry wasn’t supposed to know that, so he let her suffer in silence. Draco was very talkative, and Blaise was spacy. Harry was enjoying watching his old and potential new friends get high, and he was especially happy that no one brought up the elephant in the room. They must have known he was serious when he said he wanted to smoke and think, and that is exactly what he was doing while he watched his friends smoke his weed.

Harry remembered reading about the brain and spine in muggle anatomy books, so he knew how important they were. The brain and spine are essential to pretty much all of the essential functions of the human body, so to Harry, having anything be wrong with them was frightening. There were already so many unknowns in his life, and this neuro-whatever was adding more than he thought he was ready to take on. Harry thought about how hard it had been for him to even hold the joint with his right hand and how everyone in the group had pointedly not talked about it. Harry wondered how long his friends would be okay with Not Talking About It before one of them cracked and said something.

“What are you going to do, Harry?” Hermione finally broke the comfortable silence everyone had fallen into after they finished the joint. _Apparently not long_ , Harry thought with an inward sigh. He looked at Hermione and could see the concern and sadness in her eyes. “I’m going to do what Madam Pomfrey said to do, Hermione,” he answered. “There’s really nothing outside of that that I can do. I don’t think there are any muggle or wizard cures for paralysis, and it’s clear that’s what’s happening here,” Harry said with an unhappy nod to his hand in his lap.

“So what are we going to do until you go to a muggle doctor? Do you want to do any research on this disease to see what you can learn about it? Maybe see what other symptoms you should be looking out for?” Hermione asked.

“There are a lot of things we could be doing, Harry, but if you don’t want us to do anything, we can do that too. It’s understandable if you want to take a few days to take this in before you decide on what you want to do,” Neville said. He knew Harry was under a lot of stress even without the unveiling of a new disease added to the list. Neville wouldn’t want to deal with something like that right away either, and he certainly wouldn’t have dealt with it as dry-eyed and calmly as Harry had done so far.

“No.” Harry said decisively. “I want to get this figured out now. I finally have a break from evil wizards and fugitive godfathers, and I don’t know when I’ll have time to focus on myself like this again. What I learned from Madam Pomfrey sucks. It sucks a lot, actually, and if I’m being honest, I’m really scared. But this paralysis isn’t getting better because I’m scared, and whatever tumors I have probably aren’t going to stop growing because I’m scared, either. I have to deal with this now.”

Draco couldn’t help but marvel at how brave Harry was being in the face of the news he’d received. He couldn’t imagine how he would have reacted to news like that, and he thought Harry was handling it most admirably. Draco wasn’t sure what was in store for Harry in the coming months, but he hoped that he could be by Harry’s side through all of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short chapter, but this was the best place to cut it off so it didn't get too long. The next chapter will be up sometime this weekend or next week.


	4. Research

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry learns how serious this disease actually is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said there wouldn't be another update until this weekend or next week, but I felt like writing more, so here ya go.

“Okay, I know we just had dinner, but I’m starving,” Neville said groggily as he sat up from his prone position on the rug.

Harry laughed and got up from the couch. “What you’re feeling is called the munchies, Nev. Let’s go to the kitchens. I’m sure we’re all hungry by now.”

Hermione, Blaise, and Draco nodded their heads in the affirmative as they all got ready to leave the Room of Requirement. Harry banished the ashes in his glass ashtray before putting it back into his box along with his jar of weed and his rolling papers. As they all left the Room, Harry quietly hoped they didn’t run into any professors on their way to the kitchens. The last thing he needed right now was to be questioned about where he was going with Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini. They had ended their feud, but the rest of the school didn’t know that yet, and Harry frankly didn’t feel like explaining the situation to anyone right now.

Of course, that meant that the group had to run into Professor Snape on their way back past the hospital wing. He was coming out just as they were about to clear the doors. Harry sighed. _It must be my unlucky day_ , he thought as he turned around.

“And what do we have here?” Professor Snape quizzically observed the group. He wasn’t sure what his snakes were doing with Gryffindors, but if they were about to get up to anything nefarious, he would not allow Draco and Blaise to be a part of it.

“We’re just going to the kitchens Uncle Sev,” Draco said.

“And why are you with Potter, Granger, and Longbottom?” Snape asked suspiciously.

“We’re kind of friends now,” Draco said sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.

Snape narrowed his eyes. “And when exactly did this…friendship happen?”

Harry sighed. He just wanted to get something to eat from the kitchens and then go to the library to do some research on this neuro-something. Was that too much to ask?

“With all due respect, sir, that’s really none of your business,” Harry said with a scowl.  

Draco flinched minutely. If Harry wanted Snape to let them continue on their way, telling him to mind his own business wasn’t going to accomplish that. “Uncle Sev, we just became friends today. I was going to come and tell you about it later after curfew.” Draco said trying to placate his godfather. He could tell it worked because Snape’s face softened the slightest bit. “Very well then, Draco. Come to my quarters when you’re back in the dungeons so that you can indeed tell me about it,” he said. Draco nodded, and he and the rest of the group turned to leave. “And bring Potter with you,” Snape called to their retreating backs. Draco shot a thumbs up over his shoulder to indicate he’d heard and grabbed Harry’s arm to keep him from responding.

“I don’t get why he needs me to be there,” Harry grumbled.

Draco decided not to respond, and the group finished their walk to the kitchens in silence.

Harry tickled the pear to get into the kitchens, and he and the rest of his group were surrounded by excited house elves as soon as they were through the door. “How can we be helping the great Harry Potter?” one of the tiny creatures asked. “My friends and I would just like some snacks please. Sweet and savory if you have any left over. And could you pack them up for us? We won’t be staying to eat,” Harry asked. He loved visiting the house elves in the kitchens, but he didn’t have time to stay tonight. Now that he had to go to Snape’s quarters later, the quicker he got to the library, the better.  

“Of course, Harry Potter sir. Wes be doing that right now!” one of them said. Harry thanked them and patiently waited with his friends while the house elves gathered their food for them. Once Harry had the shrunken basket of food in his pocket, he, Hermione, Blaise, Neville, and Draco left the kitchens and made their way to the library. They picked a table at the back of the library so Madam Pince wouldn’t smell their food, and then they all scattered to find whatever books they could that would give them information on muggle diseases.

“I found something, Harry,” Hermione called to Harry as quietly as she could. Neville, Draco, and Blaise heard her, too, so they all reconvened back at their table. Harry took the basket of food out of his pocket, enlarged it, and set it to one side on the table.

“What did you find, Hermione?” Harry asked. Hermione set the book down on the table, and they all looked at the title. _Muggle Diseases and their Effects on Wizards and Witches_ it read.

“Well that’s not the least bit foreboding,” Blaise tried to joke. Everyone laughed half-heartedly, but they were all thinking the same thing. This book might hold the answer to what exactly was happening to Harry. Harry sat down in one of the table’s comfortable chairs and slid the book in front of him. Without a word, Hermione and Draco sat on either side of him and Blaise and Neville sat in front of him. They watched as Harry flipped to the index in the back of the book and reached into the basket to pull out something to snack on. None of them had forgotten how hungry they were, and they didn’t know what they would be learning from this book. Better to eat now while they still had an appetite.

“What did Pomfrey say it was called, Hermione? Neuro-what?” Harry asked as he scanned the page that had all the diseases that started with the letter N.

“Type 2 Neurofibromatosis, Harry.” Hermione answered.

Harry found the name, flipped to the corresponding page, and began to read. Instead of trying to read over his shoulder or from across the table, everyone watched Harry’s face as he read more and more about the disease. They watched as his face dropped more and more and his eyes filled with tears. He didn’t let any of them fall, but they could tell just from his reaction that what he was reading wasn’t anything good. When Harry finished reading, he pushed the book away, took off his glasses, and ran his hands down his face. He took a deep inhale and let it out slowly.

“So the good news is this is going to take a while to kill me,” Harry said.

“That’s not funny, Harry. What did it say?” Draco said.

Harry wordlessly slid the book over to Draco. “You might as well read it out loud,” he said and leaned his head against the back of the chair and closed his eyes.

“Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2 ****) is a disorder characterized by the growth of noncancerous tumors of the nervous system. Almost all people affected by NF2 develop bilateral (affecting both sides) vestibular schwannomas by age 30 years; however, other tumors of the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) are common, as well. The signs and symptoms vary from person to person and generally depend on the size, location and number of tumors. NF2 is caused by changes (mutations) in the _NF2_  gene and is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. In approximately half of cases, an affected person inherits the mutation from an affected parent. Other cases may result from new (de novo) mutations in the gene; these cases occur in people with no history of the disorder in their family. The treatment is based the signs and symptoms present in each person. On average, the signs and symptoms associated with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) begin to develop in the late teens or early twenties. Almost all people affected by NF2 develop bilateral (affecting both sides) vestibular schwannomas by age 30 years. These benign tumors, which are also called acoustic neuromas, may cause tinnitus, hearing loss, and/or balance dysfunction. Other tumors of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) are also commonly found with this condition. The signs and symptoms of NF2 vary from person to person and generally depend on the size, location and number of tumors. For example, complications of tumor growth may include changes in vision; numbness or weakness in the arms or legs; fluid buildup in the brain; and/or seizures.  
People with NF2 may also develop cataracts in one or both eyes, often beginning in childhood. Cataracts often lead to decreased vision and other visual impairments (i.e. double vision, loss of color intensity, and/or seeing halos around light).” Draco stumbled on some of the words, but he finished reading the page and looked over to Harry sadly.

“Oh Harry,” Hermione said tearfully. She reached over to hug Harry, but he pushed her away.

“If you hug me, I’m going to start crying, and I still have to see Snape when we leave,” he said by way of explanation. “Read what it says about life expectancy, Draco,” Harry said tonelessly.

Draco had read the prognosis portion of the page while Harry was talking with Hermione and was quite upset with what was written. Instead of reading it aloud, he handed the book to Hermione and pointed to the paragraph that talked about life expectancy.

Hermione looked at the page, and unhappily began to read. “The long-term outlook (prognosis) for people with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) varies based on a number of factors, including the age at which symptoms develop; the degree of hearing deficit; and the number and location of various tumors. On average, people affected by NF2 begin showing symptoms of the condition in their late teens to early twenties (onset range: birth to 70 years) and almost all affected people develop bilateral (affecting both sides) vestibular schwannomas by age 30 years. The size, location, and number of tumors can vary significantly from person to person. Although the tumors associated with NF2 are generally benign, they can interfere with quality of life and lead to early mortality due to their location and quantity. The average age of death in people with NF2 is 36 years. However, survival is improving with earlier diagnosis and better treatment in specialty centers.”

Everyone looked at Harry sadly. Draco and Blaise didn’t know what to do. When they’d gone to eavesdrop on Harry after dinner, they didn’t think they’d end up here. They didn’t think they’d have to watch Harry find out he was essentially slowly dying. They definitely didn’t think they’d be as affected as they were. They had only become friends with Harry today, and now they were learning that he had an incurable disease that would eventually kill him.

“So even if Voldemort doesn’t kill me, I’m dead anyway,” Harry said without raising his gaze from where he was focusing on a notch on the table.

“Don’t say that, Harry,” Hermione pleaded, “Maybe you’re different. Maybe you don’t have any of those tumors the book was talking about.”

Harry laughed humorlessly. “Look at my hand, Hermione. This happened in less than a day. And you heard Draco. It’s literally characterized by tumors in the brain and spine.”

“Well the only way to know for sure is to go to one of those specialty centers and find out exactly how many tumors you have and where they are,” Neville said trying to be the voice of reason.

“Yeah,” Blaise quickly agreed, “don’t think of the worst scenario so easily. You don’t know how bad it is yet. And the book said survival was improving with earlier diagnosis and better treatment.”

“I know it doesn’t seem like it right now, Harry, but you’re going to get through this. And you’re going to get through this alive. We’re all going to be by your side for everything this NF2 puts you through,” Hermione said while patting Harry on the back. Draco, Neville, and Blaise nodded vehemently in agreement. No one mentioned the lone tear that slid down Harry’s cheek or the redness of his eyes that signified more tears waiting to fall.

Harry blinked quickly to dispel the tears and decided now was as good a time as any to go see what Snape wanted with him. “It’s almost curfew, and I still need to get to the dungeons to see what Snape wants. Hermione, will you check this book out for me please?” Harry said while steadfastly ignoring how much he still wanted to cry. Hermione nodded quickly and picked the book up from its spot on the table. “Of course, Harry,” she said. She could tell that Harry was done talking about this for now, and the least she could do was respect his wish to leave it alone. Blaise and Neville looked at each other at a loss for what to do. Should they just go back to their common rooms and act like nothing happened? Draco was going to be joining Harry in Professor Snape’s quarters, and Hermione was probably going to go back to her dorm and read the rest of the book’s entry on NF2. What would they do?

“Do you want to stay and see what else we can find on this NF2 thing?” Neville whispered to Blaise.

“Sure. That can’t be the only book in this entire library about muggle diseases, right?” Blaise answered.

“Surely not,” Neville answered. With that, the group split up. Harry and Draco, to Snape’s quarters; Hermione, to Madam Pince’s desk to check out the book; and Neville and Blaise, to the shelves to see what else they could find on NF2.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the link for where I got the info about NF2 in case you want to do some research on your own. And there are a lot more resources out there that you can use too if you're interested. I have no idea how to insert links on here right now, so just copy the url and paste it into your browser. 
> 
> https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/7193/neurofibromatosis-type-2


	5. Prelude to testing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Draco (mostly Harry) talk with Snape. Snape does something that surprises Harry quite a bit, and plans are made for the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long for me to update! A lot has been going on with me and my own NF2 journey, and it's been very stressful and depressing. I'm having a right-sided craniotomy to remove a tumor in my brain, and I'm going to be having radiation on two more tumors in my brain. Aaaaand I'm getting genetic testing done to learn more about my specific case of NF2 so they can tailor my treatment to me...yeah it's a lot going on lol. On top of that, I started a new job, so I'm working a lot now. I'm going to try to update faster mostly because writing this is kind of therapeutic for me, but it might not be as fast as it was at the beginning. I have a lot of plans for Harry and Draco, so nothing short of death is going to keep me from finishing this story. Just be patient with me please.  
> Also, I enjoy reading y'all's comments, so don't hesitate to leave one even if it's just a few words!

“Do you think Madam Pomfrey told Uncle Sev about your diagnosis, Harry?” Draco asked after they left the library.

“I can’t think of any other reason why Snape would want to see me tonight, Draco. If this was just about our new friendship, he wouldn’t really need to talk to us together would he?” Harry answered. He wasn’t looking forward to his talk with Snape, but this was the only thing he had left to do tonight before he could finally go back to his room and his bed. Hopefully it wouldn’t take too long because Harry was quite ready to have a good cry. He wasn’t ashamed of it, and it was the least he deserved after finding out he not only had a dark wizard to deal with but now a tumor disease too. Tomorrow, three names would be coming out of the Triwizard cup, and he’d have to go back to his new normal. He wasn’t the same Harry that he was last year, but he also wasn’t the same Harry that he was yesterday. In less that 24 hours, his life had changed for the worse, and there was nothing he could do about it. He’d just have to silently bear this like he was silently bearing everything else.

“Maybe he wants to hear the story from both of us,” Draco said hopefully. He knew Harry and his godfather didn’t get along, so Harry probably didn’t want Snape knowing about his NF. Draco thought Severus knowing could be a good thing in case Harry needed potions to help with his symptoms, but he knew better than to tell Harry that.

“Snape hates me, Draco. Why would he want to listen to anything I have to say? Plus he was leaving the hospital wing when we saw him which means Madam Pomfrey probably floo called him shortly after Hermione, Neville, and I left to tell him what she learned. Without my NF to think about, there was also malnutrition, PTSD, and anemia on the list of undiagnosed things, and she said potions would fix those. Snape is the potions master, so even if she didn’t tell him everything, she probably did tell him about those three. It just makes sense,” Harry shrugged. While he would prefer to not have Snape in his business, he knew that probably wouldn’t happen. He’d learned a long time ago that news travelled fast in Hogwarts, and the staff were some of the biggest gossipmongers in the entire school. “Let’s just get this over with so I can go to bed,” he sighed.

“If you say so, Harry. We’re here,” Draco said. They were stopped in front of a portrait of a snake wrapped around a sword that was stabbed into a boulder. _I’ve never seen you before, little hatchling,_ the snake hissed when it saw Harry. _That’s because I’ve never been here before,_ Harry answered. _Will you let us in_? He asked. The snake said nothing, but the portrait swung open to admit Draco and Harry into Snape’s quarters.

“I forgot you were a Parselmouth, Harry. That should come in handy down here in the snake’s den,” Draco said thoughtfully.

Harry said nothing and calmly entered the room ahead of Draco. He looked around and was surprised to note that everything wasn’t green and silver like he’d been expecting. Snape’s quarters were done up in calming earth tones with dark purple accents. Snape himself was sitting in an armchair in front of a softly crackling fireplace reading a potions journal. When he heard his portrait open, he looked up and nodded as Harry and Draco walked in and stood waiting on instructions for where they could sit as well as an explanation for why they were really there.  

“Draco, Potter, sit,” Snape nodded at the sofa across from his seat and waited while Harry and Draco got themselves situated on the couch. “Now how did this whole friendship thing come about, Draco?” he asked once they made themselves comfortable. “Give me the short version,” he added. He had more that he needed to discuss with both boys, so he wanted to get the most unimportant thing out of the way first.

“Basically, I saw Harry and his friends Granger and Longbottom leaving the Great Hall, and I thought they looked suspicious, so Blaise and I followed them. They went into the hospital wing, and we eavesdropped outside the door. We heard almost everything that happened inside, but we somehow missed hearing them leaving, so they caught us when they opened the doors. We traded a few barbs and then Harry invited Blaise and me to go with him to the Room of Requirement so he could think about some things. We told each other to address us by our first names, and I guess that’s how our friendship started,” Draco finished with a shrug. He knew that was a gross understatement of everything that had happened, but he had a feeling Severus didn’t really care about how they became friends.

Snape nodded. “I expect to not have any more problems out of either of you now that you are friends. That means no more fighting or cursing each other in the halls and no more of this petty rivalry you two have,” he said. Harry and Draco nodded. Snape was only reiterating what they already knew, so they wouldn’t have any problems doing what he said.

“Potter, I received some news from Madam Pomfrey that shocked me. She said your hand was becoming paralyzed because of a previously undiagnosed disease that you have. She wouldn’t tell me more than that, but she seems to believe I might be able to brew you some potions that will help with your symptoms. Care to explain what she is talking about? I admit to being puzzled by this new information, sparse though it was.”

Harry and Draco glanced at each other. Harry wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to share this new information with Snape. The professor might support Harry’s new friendship with Draco, but that didn’t mean anything for Harry’s relationship with Snape. The man might still hate him and could use this information to make Harry’s life infinitely harder than it already was. But if the paralysis kept progressing as quickly as it did today, Harry might need the potions Snape brewed just to maintain some sense of normalcy. Maybe Snape could invent a new potion to slow down the effects of paralysis like he invented the Wolfsbane potion to help make werewolf transformations less traumatic. Harry knew that the pros outweighed the cons in this instance, and it would be in his best interest to tell Professor Snape the truth. The worst he could do is say he won’t help Harry, but if he was going to come to that decision, he wouldn’t have asked Harry for more of an explanation, and he definitely wouldn’t have invited Harry to his private rooms.

Draco didn’t see any harm in Harry sharing what they and the rest of the group learned today with Severus. Contrary to popular belief, Severus wasn’t a cold-hearted dungeon bat who favored Slytherins over all the other houses. Well, he did favor Slytherins, but that was only because of the various incidents he witnessed his snakes were given harsher punishments than other houses even when the infraction they committed was exactly the same as that of the other houses’. Draco knew that Severus really held a small degree of care for all his students, and he could see the light of concern in Severus’s eyes when he asked Harry to explain what Madam Pomfrey was talking about. He hoped Harry would tell Severus what was going on. He knew Snape would find some way to help Harry even if that meant inventing new potions.

Harry sighed. “Apparently I was born with this genetic condition called Type 2 Neurofibromatosis, or NF2 for short, and it is a neurological disorder that basically makes tumors grow in my brain and spine as well as on the rest of my body. Pomfrey thinks it’s a tumor in either my brain or spine that’s gotten too big and is causing this paralysis. She says I should go to a cancer center as soon as I can and tell them what I have so they can scan me and then go from there. I can give you the book we checked out that contains a little information about it if you want.”

Severus wasn’t sure what he was expecting to hear when he asked Potter to explain what Madam Pomfrey told him, but it certainly wasn’t what just came out of Harry’s mouth. “Are you telling me you’re sick, Potter?” he asked.

Harry shrugged. “I guess I am, sir,” he said.

Snape thought for a second. Potter was going to need potions to help with his paralysis as well as any other symptoms he was suffering and not mentioning. There currently weren’t any potions in existence that slowed down or corrected paralysis, so Severus knew he’d have to create one. Potter would also need an escort to this muggle cancer center since he was still a minor and really had no experience talking to muggle medical professionals. In the event that a tumor was the cause of Potter’s current ailments, and surgery was the only option available to fix him, Potter would need someone to act as his legal guardian to give consent for him to be treated, and he’d need someone to stay with him in the hospital during his treatment. Potter might prefer someone he was more comfortable around and who liked him more, but Severus didn’t think there were any other staff members at Hogwarts who have extensive experience dealing with muggles in all their different capacities.

“Potter, I will escort you to a muggle cancer center and I will begin the process of creating a potion that will help alleviate your symptoms, if only temporarily. It would be detrimental to cure the symptoms totally because they might indicate how far the tumor is progressing wherever it is. Would you be amenable to me accompanying you and helping you however I can? I do think I’m the best staff member for the job, but I can help you pick someone else if you would be more comfortable with them.”

Harry’s eyes widened dramatically. Snape was willing to help him? And create a potion for him? And he was worried about his comfort? What had changed in the last ten minutes that made Snape start giving a damn?

“I’m sorry, sir, but why do you care so much about what’s going on with me? I thought you hated me,” Harry asked. He wasn’t averse to Snape escorting him, and he certainly wouldn’t say no to a potion, but he didn’t understand why Snape was making these allowances for him.

“I will admit that my behavior towards you these past years has been less than stellar. In fact, it’s been downright dreadful. But I had a terrible past with your father before he died and seeing your stark resemblance to him made me act in a way that was unacceptable. I should never have treated you so harshly based on your father’s actions, and for that, I sincerely apologize,” Snape said. He wasn’t planning for the conversation to go this route when he started talking to Potter, but Potter telling him about his recent NF2 diagnosis had made Snape realize that there might be a lot about Potter he didn’t know. He couldn’t continue to take his grudge against James Potter out on James’s son. It wasn’t right. And if his godson was going to be friends with Potter, or more than friends judging by the way Draco was gazing at him, it would do Severus some good to get to know Potter better.

Harry was even more flabbergasted. Snape was apologizing? “I don’t want your pity, sir. If you’re only apologizing to me now because you just found out I’m sick, you can keep it. I have no interest in surrounding myself with people who feel bad for me,” Harry said. He hoped he didn’t piss Snape off with what he just said, but he needed to put that out there. Snape didn’t seem like the type of person to do favors for people out of pity, but Harry’s sure that he’s not even close to knowing everything about the strict potions master.

“I assure you, Potter, I am not acting out of pity. I simply learned something that made me look at you in a different light and reminded me that you are Lily’s son just as much as you are James’s,” Snape answered. He could understand why Potter would feel some type of way about his apology, but he was most sincere in everything he said, and he genuinely wanted to help Potter in whatever way he could.

Harry stared at Snape for a few moments and sighed in resignation. “I would appreciate it if you would accompany me to a muggle cancer center tomorrow before the Halloween feast, sir. With the speed at which my symptoms are progressing, I think it’s best to get checked out as soon as possible.” He looked at Snape as he said the last bit and watched as Snape’s eyes narrowed in thought. He wasn’t really looking forward to all the tests he’d probably have to go through to figure out what’s going on with him, but if he had some support there, even if that support was Snape, he felt he might handle things a little bit better.

The professor nodded. “The sooner, the better, Potter. I will collect you after lunch and take you to Cancer Centre London. It might be better to go somewhere closer to Hogwarts, but I will not sacrifice quality for distance. Is that alright with you, Potter?”

Harry nodded and stood up. “Thank you for your time, professor. I’ll be ready to leave right after lunch, and I’ll meet you in the entrance hall.” Harry turned towards Draco, “Goodnight, Draco. See you in class tomorrow.” With that, Harry left Snape’s quarters and made the long trek back to Gryffindor Tower and his bed.

Snape watched Potter exit his rooms and wondered if Potter knew that he was limping just the slightest bit.


End file.
